Tube-polishing machine and method of polishing tubes



June 24, 1930- H D T ENS TUBE POLISHING MACHINE AND METHOD OF POLISHINGTUBES Filed Nov. 20, 1926 I N VEN TOR.

HoRA c5 0 STEVE/Vs He, 6 By A TTORNE Y.

. Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HORAJE D. STEVENS, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRESTONE TIRE &RUBBER COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO TUBE-TOLISHINGMACHINE AND METHOD OF POLISHING TUBES Application filed November 20,1920. Serial No. 149,724.

This invention relates to tube polishing machines for use in rubberfactories and to methods of polishing tubes. 4

The general purpose of the invention is to rovide a machine for cleaningor polishing inner tubes subsequent to their vulcanization in readinessfor shipping and also an improved method for cleaning or polishing aninner tube.

The foregoing and other purposes are accomplished by the deviceillustrated in the accompanying drawings and the procedure described inconjunction with the following brief description of said device. It isto be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific formthereof shown and described.

Of the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan of apparatus embodying and adapted to carrying outthe invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents a supporting frame or tablehaving fixedly journaled upon the opposite sides adjacent one endthereof rollers 11, 11 of the standard crown pulley type projectinglaterally from each side of the table and arranged to be driven by acommon drive sprocket 12 over which is trained a chain 13 driven by asprocket 14 through suitable reduction gearing shown at 15 by a pulley16 in turn driven by a belt 17 from a motor 18.

Rollers 19, 19 similar to rollers 11 are arranged to be shifted awayfrom the latter by being mounted upon shiftable journals 20, 2O operablein guides 21, 21 by piston rods 22, 22 connected thereto and operable bypistons, indicated at 23, in cylinder 24:, 24 to which fluid pressuremay be supplied through independent control valves 25, 25 and conduits26, 26.

Return of rollers 19 to their normal positions may be effected by meansof yielding connections 27, 27 preferably rubber .bands, engaged aboutpins 28, 28 connected to journals 20 and pins 29, 29 fixed upon thesupport 10.

In practicing the method with the above described apparatus, the innertubes to be cleaned and polished are placed over the pairs of rollers 11and 19 in the manner of belts b operatives standing on opposite sides 0the machine with the valves of the inner tube projecting outwardly(Figure 2). The valves 25 are operated to supply pressure to cylinders2e, whereupon rollers 19 are moved away from rollers 11, stretching thetube which is driven by rollers 11.

While the tubes are driven, as described above, the operatives applycleaning cloths or other devices to both sides of the tubes, the clothsbeing saturated with a suitable cleaning solution such as a soapy waterand benzol mixture. Since the tubes are stretched the cleaning actionefi'ectively removes dirt, soapstone, etc., from the surfaces thereof.

When the tubes are cleaned the operatives operate valves 25 to releasethe fluid pressure and rollers 19 are pulled back to normal positions bybands 27, the cleaned tubes being removed from the machine.

The machine is adapted for the cleaning of either tubes vulcanized onstraight mandrels or tubes cured on curved mandrels, the stretching ofthe tube being suflicient to prevent kinks in the latter.

Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Ap aratus for cleaning inner tubes comprislng a fixedly journaledroller, a shiftably journaled roller, means normally holding the secondroller in a position spaced from the first roller, means for shiftin thesecond roller from said position away rom the first roller, and meansfor driving the fixedl journaled roller. 5

2. Xpparatus for cleaning inner tubes comprising relatively movablerollers ada ted to receive a tube thereover, means or driving one of therollers, and means for relatively moving the rollers to stretch the tubewhile it is driven by .said rollers.

'3'. Apparatus of the class described com prisin means for rapidlystretc an mner tu e, and means or axial] drivm said tube while it isheld in stretc ed con 'tion,

4:. That method of cleanjn or polishing inner tubes com rising axia ydnvin the tube while stretc ing it, and a plying c eaning devices to thesurfaces of t e tube.

. HORACE D. STEVENS.

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